It is always hard for us to believe that things can get worse in New York State’s so-called government, but Mr. Paterson keeps proving us wrong.

Rest of editorial here.

Jeremy W. Peters, February 9: ALBANY — The New York State Senate on Tuesday night expelled a senator convicted of assaulting his companion, the first time a member of the Legislature was forced from office in nearly a century. Full NYT story here.

So: There has been much – research studies as well as news stories – about the corruption suffused in incredible hubris – in Albany. Criminal corruption as well as a withering ethical malaise that has nothing to do with the best interests of constituents. So, to see “them” eat one of their own (in a period when lots of eyes are turned to the shenanigans) almost brings tears to the eyes. Hasta la vista Hiram Monserrate even if there is a chance it won’t be permanent.

Let the feasting get contagious. One down, many to go.

I wrote the original text for this post  (well below the picture) a few hours before I watched the Tuesday 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. news; I’m not sure what was specifically bothering me then regarding the news coverage, probably that it was inadequate. Now, I guess I would have liked to have seen reporters getting in the faces of politicians and asking serious questions or asking serious follow-up questions to the lame responses from the few pols who wanted their faces in the evening and late evening news.

Viewers have been getting the typical unchallenged, wishy-washy responses, i.e. sound bites, allowed by TV reporters in the field. Most sound bites are awful.

I think now, on reflection, I wanted to see reporters assailing the pols the way it is done with perp walks.

Other quibbles. Why were those particular pols interviewed? What about those who refused to be interviewed or were dodging the reporters? The pols have looked too laid back and sober for my tastes.

This would be a good time for news theater, like what can be seen in those perp walks when the TV reporters converge on a suspect, defendant, asking all sorts of questions as if they can get the suspects-defendants-perps to really respond. If the suspects-defendants-perps start running, then there’s a few seconds of jiggly footage as the reporter, camera persons give chase. Anyone with brains know that no serious comments or responses are really expected and that the whole perp-walking is about spectacle and theater.

Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, sole surviving Somali pirate from the hostage-taking of American ship captain, being perp-ed by federal agents

 

I guess that’s what I was really looking for, that is, reporters hounding the pols on camera. Nevertheless, the original post is included below in order to show my chain of thought (if anyone is interested).

The original begins here:
This is a quickie. There will be more later. Just wondering what the general thinking is about the news coverage of “that” mess in Albany. The only sense of outrage I’ve seen has been the very unpopular Governor expressing his anger in TV shots and occasional scemes of angry crowds – big? small? it’s hard to tell – outside a legislative building.

Shouldn’t the news media be ripping and tearing? Haven’t there been important reports in recent years about how bad the pols are in Albany. Shouldn’t that material be recycled in news stories and commentaries and editorials? Blogs?

Am I missing something?

Anyway, I plan to review the reports to get my facts straight.

 

 

WORD Writer Frankie Garcia and WORD Senior Editor/Producer Kisha Allison covered a rally and lobbying effort in Albany, March 10 to convince the legislator to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws. They both took pictures and Allison’s planning on expanding on their multimedia reporting later this week in the WORD. Picture below was taken by Garcia.

I bet no one saw this image on the evening news, March 10, 2009